If you’re just beginning to think about getting in on the benefits of CrossFit, you might want to brush up your knowledge of the nine key basic movements of CrossFit. Master these nine, and you’re well on your way to kicking ass at your CrossFit Workout of the Day.

Air Squat

·       Shoulder-width stance (no bar used)

·       Bend at the hips and sit back into the squat

·       Keep knees out, in line with your toes

·       Always aim to squat to just below parallel with hip joints just below the knee

·       Maintain a good lumbar curve

·       Keep heels down with your weight sitting on your heels. Can you wiggle your toes?

·       Most of the power for the squat comes from opening the hips. Drive the hips in an upward motion as you stand

Front Squat

·       Shoulder-width stance with bar at shoulders/rack position

·       Place hands just outside of shoulders with loose fingertip grip on the bar

·       Keep elbows high with upper arms parallel to the ground

·       Bend at your hips and sit back into the squat

·       Maintain a good lumbar curve

·       Keep the chest lifted

·       Make sure knees stay in line with the toes

·       Weight in the heels

·       Always aim to squat to just below parallel with your hip joint just below your knee

·       Complete at full hip and knee extension

Overhead Squat

·       Shoulder-width stance with bar at shoulders/racked position

·       Wide grip on the bar

·       Shoulders push up into the bar

·       Armpits face forward

·       Bend at your hips and sit back into the squat

·       Always aim to squat to just below parallel with your hip joint just below your knee

·       Maintain good lumbar curve

·       Weight in the heels, concentrating on keeping the bar balanced over the heels

·       Knees in line with the toes

·       Complete at full hip and knee extension

Shoulder Press

·       Hip-wide stance with bar at shoulders/racked position

·       Grip using thumbs around the bar with hands just outside of the shoulders

·       Elbows in front of the bar

·       Bar moves just over the middle of the foot

·       Keep torso and legs static

·       Weight in the heels

·       Shoulders push up into the bar

·       Complete at full arm extension

·       Finished position has active shoulders, elbows locked, and ears in front of arms (head is “through the window”)

Push Press

·       Hip-width stance with bar at shoulders/racked position

·       Hands just outside of the shoulders

·       Elbows slightly in front of the bar

·       Full grip on the bar

·       Bar rests on torso

·       Perform a shallow dip, bending at the hip, butt is back, knees slightly forward, and chest is lifted

·       Heels down until hips and legs extend

·       Drive the hips forward rapidly and fully and extend the bar overhead

·       The turnaround from dip to drive is swift, creating velocity to help lift the weight overhead

Push Jerk

·       Hip-width stance with bar at shoulders/racked position

·       Hands just outside of shoulders

·       Elbows slightly in front of the bars with full grip on the bar

·       Perform a shallow dip, bending at the hip, butt is back, knees slightly forward, and chest is lifted

·       Hips and legs extend , then press under

·       Receive the bar in a partial overhead

·       Heels down until hips and legs extend

·       Get under the bar and catch the weight with arms extended

·       Stand to full extension with bar overhead. Shoulders are active

Deadlift

·       Hip-width stance with bar on floor

·       Arms are locked straight, hands gripping the bar just outside the knees

·       Full grip on bar

·       Shoulders slightly in front of the bar

·       Maintain good lumbar curve

·       Drive through the heels

·       Extend the legs while hips and shoulders rise at the same rate

·       Hips should fully open once the bar is past the knees

·       Bar should make contact with legs during the entire lift

·       Once the “hang” position is reached, return the bar to the floor. Hips and shoulders move first, knees last

Sumo Deadlift High Pull

·       Slightly wider than shoulder-width stance with bar on floor

·       Weight in the heels, opening the hips fully

·       Maintain good lumbar curve

·       Arms are locked straight, hands close together, gripping the bar between the knees

·       Knees in line with toes

·       Shrug with straight arms

·       Hips and shoulders rise at the same rate

·       Arms follow through by pulling the bar to the chin

·       Elbows are high and outside

·       The bar is returned to the floor in reverse sequence, arms, traps, hips, then knees

Medicine Ball Clean

·       Shoulder-width stance with medicine ball on floor

·       Ball between the feet with palms on the ball

·       Knees in line with toes

·       Shoulders should be over the ball at set-up

·       Maintain good lumbar curve

·       Extend hips rapidly, with weight on heels

·       Shrug with straight arms

·       Hips close to land in a front squat, catching the ball with elbows beneath the ball

If you have any other questions about the movements of CrossFit, reach out to one of the CrossFit pros at KnuckleUp! To see more, visit us on Facebook or Instagram.